What is a 4-H project?
A 4-H project is an item you make, or an activity you do, that helps you learn about personal areas of interest. Enjoy working with wood? Want to practice your chef skills? Interested in developing your talent as an artist? Have a passion for the environment? These are some of the project areas that can be explored by doing a 4-H project.
Project learning happens in a variety of ways and youth can concentrate on one project area or try as many as they like.
What kinds of projects can I do?
- Expressive & communication arts: crafts & fine arts, performing arts, photography, video, demonstrations
- Family consumer science: child & family development, clothing & textiles, food & nutrition, food revue
- Mechanical science: aerospace, bicycle, computer, electric, robotics, wood shop or metal shop, small engines, tractor, aquatics robotics, engineering design, Rube Goldberg Machines™
- Natural resources: entomology, exploring the environment, fishing sports, forest resources, geology, shooting sports and wildlife management, water/wetlands, wildlife/biology
- Personal growth & development: citizenship, consumer education, global connections, health, safety, youth leadership
- Plant sciences: crop sciences, flower gardening, fruit, indoor gardening, lawn & landscape design, plant & soil science, potatoes, vegetable gardening
- Create your own project: self-determined
- Animal science: beef, cat, dairy, goat, dog, horse, lama, pets, poultry, rabbits, sheep, swine, veterinary science, exploring animals
Check out the 4-H Project Guide Flipbook for more information about each project area.
How do I start?
4-H is all about learning by doing. You choose what you want to learn. You set a goal. You make a plan and collect resources (parents and grandparents can be great helpers during this process!) You do the hands-on work to achieve your goal.
Here are the basic steps
- Choose something to learn about
- Set a goal
- Plan, prep and execute
- Share your project
- Optional: Bring your project to the Lake County Fair*
*Detailed information about entering your project in the Lake County Fair will be sent in June. At that time, you can decide if this is something you and your family would like to do.
If you choose to enter your project in the fair, you will bring it to the Lake County Fairgrounds on General Project Judging Day, Monday, Aug. 3. And, if your project didn't turn out perfect - no worries!
That's one of the great things about 4-H and conference judging:
- You: Talk about what turned out great, what was disappointing or frustrating, and what you'll try next time.
- Judge: Listens, asks questions, and gives suggestions for adaptation or improvement.
You can bring as many projects as you want to the fair, and each project will be judged and awarded a ribbon - Blue, Red, or White. At the end of fair, you will receive a check for the prize money associated with the ribbons you earned.
What about Cloverbuds?
Cloverbuds are the youngest 4-H'ers, and they have a specially curated project and fair experience:
- Youth in grades K-2
- One judge for all Cloverbud projects
- Projects and participation are recognized with Green ribbons
Other than that, Cloverbuds can bring all the same kinds of projects!